Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Translation: godtl
"Thank you for your service."
Thud.
The taxi door closed.
As Kim Si-mun stepped out of the car, his gaze slowly lifted toward the sky.
A structure so massive it couldn't be taken in at a glance.
A height that required craning his neck just to see the top.
"Still the same as ever."
The building stood exactly as it had before Korea's destruction in his past life.
Si-mun observed the colossal structure with slightly nostalgic eyes.
-Hoo~. It's ridiculously huge. So this is the holy ground for Players you mentioned?
"Yeah. To be precise, it's called the Galaxy Agora."
A department store in Apgujeong.
Located above Rodeo Street with a view of the Han River, this place was none other than the sacred ground for Players—the Galaxy Agora.
-Galaxy Agora? Is this a building provided by the Arena system?
"Not exactly. The Galaxy Arena only directly manages the broadcasting side of things."
-Now that you mention it, they hardly ever intervene physically. Then why does this place carry the Galaxy name?
"It's mostly for show. Every country has at least one Galaxy Agora, you see."
-Hmm~ I think I get the gist of it.
The Philosopher's Stone asked in an intrigued voice.
-So people buy and sell Arena-related items here?
"Right. From auctions and personal shops to party recruitment. Even though there's an online community, many prefer using the Agora."
One might wonder why offline interactions still existed in this day and age.
Surprisingly, many Players still favored in-person transactions.
The reason was simple.
'People feel more at ease when they can see things with their own eyes.'
Given that most items here carried hefty price tags, buyers naturally preferred inspecting them firsthand.
While online trades through communities weren't uncommon either,
those were mostly limited to simple materials or potions.
For equipment worth millions of won, there were too many concerns about relying on delivery services.
The same went for recruiting party members.
'Since you'll need to work together with these people, you'd want to meet them at least once.'
A sort of interview, if you will.
Given that they'd be fighting side by side in the Arena, most Players preferred meeting potential teammates in person.
Thanks to this, Galaxy Agoras remained hotspots in every country.
As Si-mun exchanged these tidbits with the Philosopher's Stone...
"Excuse me. Are you an Awakened?"
"Yes."
Si-mun found himself at the entrance before he knew it.
A woman in a black suit blocking his way pulled something from her pocket.
"We'll need to verify your status briefly. Could you put this in your inventory and take it out again?"
Nodding, Si-mun accepted the low-grade potion she handed him.
"Inventory."
Opening his inventory, he stored the potion,
waited about two seconds, then retrieved it again.
To onlookers, it would have looked like the potion in his hand vanished and reappeared.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Here's your Player Watch."
The woman extended a simply designed bracelet.
The Player Watch.
A high-tech artifact equipped with various functions—from recording personal accounts and transaction histories
to party recruitment features and an internal map of the Agora.
Si-mun fastened it around his left wrist with practiced ease.
Then, a faint chime resonated from his chest.
-Ooh. Oppa, this is an alchemical creation, isn't it?
'Right. Made by an alchemist.'
True to its nature as a being born of alchemy,
the Philosopher's Stone immediately discerned the Player Watch's origins.
-But while alchemy's the main component, there's quite a bit of collaboration from other fields here. Who made this thing?
'Hmm, never really thought about that. Probably alchemists from the Association or some famous guild, I'd guess.'
Any organization with substantial influence would have numerous Players involved in production.
Most likely, it was either the state-affiliated Association's work or a commissioned piece by a renowned guild.
"Is this your first time at the Galaxy Agora? If you need instructions on how to use the Watch..."
"No need. I've used one before."
"Understood. Then enjoy your visit."
Perhaps because she'd confirmed his status as an Awakened,
the woman bowed politely with noticeably softer eyes.
Once past the doors, Si-mun fiddled with the Player Watch.
Small holograms flickered to life above its surface.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to the Galaxy Arena's system window.
Honestly, every time I see this, I can tell how much effort they put into it.
After syncing the watch with his basic personal information, Si-mun immediately moved on.
The interior's bustling atmosphere made the colossal size he'd seen from outside seem insignificant in comparison.
"Hey, did you hear? The Scorpion Guild wiped out all their low-rank members yesterday."
"And someone in America got chosen by a Constellation again. Ugh! Damn, I'm so jealous!"
"Check this out—an S-rank, a freaking S-rank! The opposing team screwed up so bad, I basically got free rewards. Hah!"
"Damn it. My viewership got cut in half after that mess in the last Arena. What the hell am I supposed to do now...?"
The sheer density of the crowd amplified the liveliness inside.
—Tch, there's a disgusting number of people here. Are all of these Players?
"That's right. Some might've just Awakened, but without an inventory, you can't even get in here in the first place."
Chatting casually with the Philosopher's Stone, Si-mun boarded an elevator not too far away.
Fourth floor.
Where the Player-exclusive auction house was located.
A few more people got on before the elevator doors closed.
Then—
"Did you hear about the latest batch from the Awakening Academy? They're insane."
"They're calling it the best generation ever. Especially Kim Si-hyeok and Lee Yu-jeong—they're the top two."
"Didn't those two already break into Diamond and become Rankers ages ago?"
The conversation was impossible to ignore.
"Rankers? Since when?"
"Been a while, man. You didn't know? They hit Diamond in just four years after debut. They're calling it historic for Korea."
"No way! That's insane! Meanwhile, I've been stuck in Gold for four goddamn years."
They must've been a fixed party.
The four Players inside the elevator kept talking without pause.
"It's all about the silver spoon. If I were the Association's golden boy or the Seongsam Guild's golden girl, I'd have broken into Ranker too."
"Bullshit. You think just anyone can get into the Academy? They're just freaks of nature."
"Yeah. They screen strictly based on Awakening stats and traits. Rumor has it they both have two traits?"
"I heard that too. Unless there's some item that grants traits or something?"
Ding.
A chime sounded as the elevator doors opened.
Stepping out, Si-mun let out an involuntary chuckle.
—Huh? Oppa, why are you laughing?
"Just... it's funny."
The stats and traits gained upon Awakening had no relation to one's real-world background.
No matter how powerful or wealthy someone was in their country.
Conversely, no matter how destitute, barely scraping by for their next meal.
Before the traits and stats granted upon Awakening, everyone was equal.
Wasn't that why so many still un-Awakened people yearned for it so desperately?
Because it was the fastest chance to turn their lives around.
But there was something they were mistaken about.
In the end, even the stats and traits granted after Awakening are just another kind of silver spoon.
A Player's future was still determined by what they were given upon Awakening.
Sure, there were plenty who pushed beyond the limits of their initial stats and traits through sheer effort.
Well, it's not like I don't get it.
Still, Si-mun could understand their feelings in his own way.
I was like that once too.
If anything, he'd been even more resentful.
Back then—Kim Si-hyeok and Lee Yu-jeong.
If only he had—for their sake—
Slap!
No! Kim Si-mun, stop with the pointless thoughts.
He shook his head vigorously and smacked his own cheek.
What was done was done, and he shouldn't regret what happened back then.
Looking back on his past life's experiences—
That choice had undoubtedly been the right one.
Most importantly—
I've already forgiven them.
Even as he told himself that, Si-mun let out another quiet chuckle.
Honestly, the word "forgiveness" was absurd in the first place.
It had been an accident, plain and simple.
Even if he went back, he'd make the same choice again.
Back then—
—Oppa?
A faint ringing echoed from the center of his chest.
—I don't know what's going on, but stop hitting your face. I'm serious.
"...Yeah."
Si-mun quietly lowered his hand from his cheek.
His destination was the outer section of the auction house, which occupied the entirety of the fourth floor's center.
It was a kind of shopping district.
More specifically, an area densely packed with guild shops rather than individual stores.
'Probably because it's a bit too awkward to sell through auction.'
Si-mun glanced at the [Hobgoblin's Battle Axe] in his inventory.
Classified as a standard-issue combat weapon for melee fighters, with the highest possible option of Strength +5.
It was undoubtedly a good item, but—
'The moment it falls under the category of "standard-issue," it's already difficult to put up for auction.'
Most items like this already had established market prices.
As Si-mun briefly scanned the shops in the outer area, one particularly large store caught his eye.
A familiar blue logo.
'Ah, the Seongsam Guild.'
Even after the emergence of the Galaxy Arena,
Seongsam had maintained its position as a global enterprise, not just in Korea.
True to its reputation, it boasted the largest floor space among the guild shops on the fourth floor.
'Looks like they invested quite a bit in building the Agora.'
No matter how much the Galaxy Agora was a state-managed zone,
it was impossible for conglomerates to keep their hands off it.
Well.
Especially since Seongsam was one of the top-ranked player guilds.
After briefly surveying the area, Si-mun headed straight for Seongsam's shop.
The reason was simple.
'The bigger the guild, the faster and cleaner the transactions.'
Swish.
"Welcome."
True to the name Seongsam,
the interior was as sleek and polished as the automatic doors.
Every single item on display was at least C-Grade or higher,
and the store's layout was designed to guide customers toward either higher or lower grades depending on the direction.
'As expected of a conglomerate.'
After glancing around the store, Si-mun immediately approached the counter.
A middle-aged man polishing an item gave Si-mun a quick once-over,
then smiled and asked,
"Couldn't find what you were looking for?"
"I'm not here to buy. I came to sell."
"Ah, selling..."
The middle-aged man's smile deepened.
"It's been a while since we've had a visitor looking to sell. Please, come this way."
With that, the man moved toward the far end of the store.
There, everything from appraisal scrolls to various artifacts was neatly arranged.
"You can place the item you wish to sell here."
The man pointed to a shelf that resembled a weighing scale.
Si-mun retrieved the [Hobgoblin's Battle Axe] from his inventory.
"Oh?"
The middle-aged man's eyes gleamed at the sight.
As Si-mun placed the axe on the shelf,
"This is..."
The man, wearing what appeared to be a monocle artifact, immediately scanned the item.
"The Hobgoblin's Battle Axe, isn't it? And with the highest-tier options at that."
"Yes. Can it be processed immediately?"
"Of course."
Was he a player too?
The middle-aged man fiddled with his slightly more complex-looking Player Watch.
Soon,
"Here—the recent market prices and transaction records for the Hobgoblin's Battle Axe in the Galaxy Agora."
He presented a neatly organized display of numbers and graphs.
Si-mun's pupils dilated slightly as he checked the figures.
"42 million won?"
Even if it was standard-issue, it was still just a B-rank item.
But 42 million won?
Then,
"Yes. Yesterday, one sold for 38 million won... but that one only had Strength +4."
As Si-mun examined the transaction records the man pointed out, he realized—
'Right. This is eleven years ago.'
In his past life, he had reached the official Arena and the brink of Earth's destruction.
The value of B-rank items back then and the value of B-rank items now were completely different.
'This isn't the era where Diamond Ranks were overflowing.'
Naturally, the Hobgoblin's Battle Axe—usable even by entry-level Diamond Ranks—had to be expensive.
'This is going to be an unexpected windfall.'
Compared to the roughly 10 million won he had estimated based on past-life prices, this was more than double.
'I can afford to upgrade the grade of the Spirit Elixir I was planning to make.'
Just as Si-mun was about to accept the transaction with a satisfied smile—
"But..."
The middle-aged man's gaze turned slightly colder as he looked at Si-mun.
"May I ask how you obtained this item?"
His eyes swept over Si-mun once again.
"I may be a Production Class player, but you don't strike me as particularly high-level, sir."
"Ah."
Si-mun finally understood why the middle-aged man was reacting this way.
'He's suspicious of me.'
And not without reason.
Even if he were a Production Class player working at the Agora.
Given his affiliation with Seongsam, his level shouldn't be low.
From the middle-aged man's perspective, Si-mun simply didn't look capable of obtaining something like the [Hobgoblin's Battle Axe].
"Might I ask your level?"
"Level 7."
"Level 7, you say..."
The middle-aged man let out a hollow laugh before pressing further.
"You were planning to receive the full payment in cash without any AP, correct?"
"Yes."
"Well, this is..."
Removing his monocle, the man interlaced his fingers and spoke.
"Sir, this is Seongsam. No—even if you went to any other shop, you wouldn't be able to trade questionable items."
His tone was already conclusive.
"Wait a minute. I think there's been some misunderstanding."
Si-mun quickly interjected.
"I obtained this purely by running the Arena myself."
"At Level 7? You acquired an item that only drops in the upper tiers of Platinum-rank?"
As the man's voice grew increasingly incredulous, Si-mun felt a headache coming on.
'Sigh. This is getting tangled up.'
Given the nature of material items, cash transactions were far more common than AP exchanges.
After all, the main buyers—Production Class players—didn't place much importance on AP.
But of all things.
A low-level player bringing in a high-level item and demanding cash only?
'Of course it'd raise suspicions.'
Who would believe that a Level 7 could run the Arena and obtain an item that only dropped in Platinum?
Even Si-mun himself found it hard to believe.
But what could he do?
It was the truth.
And it wasn't like proving it would be difficult.
Hadn't Kim Min-hyeong, who'd run the Arena with him, been from the Seongsam Guild?
"It seems this conversation might take a while. You see—"
Just as Si-mun was about to continue.
"Hey, you."
The middle-aged man cut in first.
But he wasn't addressing Si-mun—he was calling to the female employee standing behind him.
"There's a customer over there."
"Yes, Branch Manager."
Not a single soul—let alone a customer—was in sight.
Yet the woman left without another word.
Only after she had disappeared did the man finally speak.
"Sir, I'll keep this brief."
He jerked his chin toward a red button installed beside him.
"If I press that bell, Agora security will swarm in. Naturally, we'll also be able to locate the rightful owner of this stolen item."
"Look, I get that it's hard to believe, but to treat someone like a criminal without any evidence—"
"However."
The man cut him off, lowering his voice.
"But people like you always have some sob story, don't they? Maybe I could... help you out."
His fingers moved over his Player Watch.
"Ten million in cash."
He pulled up a transfer screen with the amount and shoved it toward Si-mun.
"Hand it over at this price, and I won't press that bell. Of course, I'll also make sure to keep my mouth shut about you."
A fishy smile had crept onto his face.
"Well? Choose."
The man had already dropped formalities, clearly seeing himself in an unassailable position of power.
Pressing the button and summoning Agora administrators would undoubtedly complicate things.
But between Kim Min-hyeong from Seongsam and the three from the Scorpion Guild he'd defeated—
There were more than enough people to vouch for his innocence.
Still, before that—
'Ha! This guy's really pushing it, listening to all this.'
For a man from a major corporation—
No, for someone who appeared to be a branch manager to treat a customer like a criminal on mere suspicion?
"Excuse me, are you joking with me right n—"
Just as Si-mun's eyes turned icy and he prepared to retort—
"My, what an interesting conversation you're having, Manager Kim."
A voice—clear, melodious, and achingly familiar—drifted into Si-mun's ears.
As if entranced.
He turned toward the source of the voice.
"Since becoming the Apgujeong branch manager, you've grown quite bold, haven't you?"
And there she was.
A woman whose beauty could be encapsulated in a single word: pure.
"Engaging in corruption at a Seongsam store in broad daylight. Have you lost your mind?"
"Y-Young Miss?! What are you doing here?!"
A cold smile that clashed with her innocent appearance.
Then, spotting Si-mun standing there dumbfounded, her expression melted into a warmth that seemed almost unreal.
How could he ever forget?
Nine years from now.
"Lee Yu-jeong..."
She would be the one to push a crumbling Korea into complete ruin.
